I'll be Waiting
by the only sweet catastrophe
Summary: While Karen's flight is delayed something happens that changes her life forever. KeithKaren


I'll Be Waiting

Paring: Karen and Keith

Rating: PG

I'll Be Waiting 

Karen sat in a very uncomfortable chair. She knew it was going to be awhile. Her flight to see Andy in New Zealand had been delayed. She was going to have to find something to occupy herself for a little while. Getting a good cup of coffee and a light book would do it. She got up from her seat, but was almost pushed back down because of shock. She could have sworn she saw Keith. She got back up and decided that her eyes were going because it had been ten long years since she saw Keith at the high school that day he was murdered.

Ten years had passed, but it didn't have an effect on Karen. Sure, you couldn't stop the aging process, but it did her well.

She made her way to a coffee stand and ordered a large coffee. She paid the lady and mixed her coffee with the correct amount of sugar and cream. After she got situated, she turned around and headed back to her original seat. Karen's mouth dropped with what she saw next. Her eyes weren't failing her, Keith was sitting right next to her.

"Hey Karen." said Keith's familiar voice

She didn't say anything for a few minutes. Shock had overcome her ability to speak.

"Keith." was all she was able to muster

"Yes, it's me."

"But your dead." she said shocked.

"Well, thanks for being so blunt." Keith motioned her to sit down.  
"Sorry." Karen did as she was asked. She looked up and down at Keith

Keith looked exactly the same. He had that dark brown leather jacket and a plaid shirt with jeans on. His smile could still light her heart.

"What are you doing here?" Karen whispered

"My flight got delayed." he said in a stern voice

'Flight to what? You can't travel. Your non-existent, a ghost."

"My flight to heaven." Keith chuckled

"That's not why you're here." she forced a smile

"I had to make sure your okay, Karen."

"Why now? Why here?" Karen seemed to think that she could only form kindergarten sentences.

"I have been waiting for you. Don't you remember?"

"Remember what?"

"This was where I was going to purpose to you, when you come home from Italy. You remember don't you? I couldn't wait, I was going to get on one knee and ask you to be my wife. Of course, I got in the "accident," but I ended up asking you to marry me two years later, and you said yes, but then you know what happens next."

"Now? Why? I don't get it Keith."

'I told you, I had to make sure you were okay. Plus you weren't ready for me yet. I had to wait till you were."

"Why am I ready now?" Karen told herself she had to ask the hard questions first before she could love him.

"Because you are finding love with Andy. You are finally moving on and you had to move on before you could see me. I was always there Karen, but you had to not miss me so you could see me. If that makes any sense."

"None of this makes any sense." She was still whispering, but it was more like a loud whisper.  
"In a airport Keith."

"Yes, because your going to the one you're moving on with."  
She tried to touch him with her shaking hands, but her hand went right through his skin. Her eyes were becoming glistened with tears. She prayed for so many nights to bring him back or that she could see him one more time. Now he was standing right in front of her shocked eyes. Her memories from her past come rushing through her. She still loved him, she never stopped.

"I've missed you."

"I know." he paused for a second taking in all her beauty. "I've missed you more than you know."

"How's our boy, Karen?"

"He's great. Brooke and him are getting married next month. They both attended NYU. Lucas majored in literature and Brooke majored in fashion."

She paused for a second realizing what Keith did for her and Lucas.

"Thanks Keith."

"For what?"

"The college fund. Without you he wouldn't have gone to college."

"He was my son."

"He is your son." She emphasized on this. "He misses you, you know."

"We taught him well."

"Yes, yes we did."

They both paused for a moment, taking it all in. It seemed that both of their eyes held all their accomplishments they had made together.

"I have to tell you something important, Karen."

"What Keith? Is it bad?" she said worried

"That day didn't happen the way everyone thinks."

"What do you mean?"

"Yes, I went into that school. I had to talk to Jimmy. Karen, I was him once. I thought I could help him. The only person that knew I was going in that school was Dan. I talked to Jimmy, but I couldn't save him. He shot himself in the chest-."  
"Wait, I thought he shot you. Don't tell me your secretly alive."

"No, no." He had to chuckle to himself at that one. "Dan appeared in the school and I told him that Jimmy was dead. He picked up Jimmy's gun and pulled the trigger. It was weird though; I knew he was going to do it before he pulled the trigger. All I could do was stand there and surrender. I surrendered to him, Karen. It's what he always wanted."

Karen was silent. She stared into his eyes again, but he wasn't staring back at her. He didn't want to see the sadness in her eyes. It would have been too much for him to handle. Karen finally spoke.

"I am going to kill him."

He tried to put his two hands onto her shoulder, but she didn't feel it.

"Listen Karen, as much as everyone wants to see Dan suffer we can't let him be punished for something that is already forgiven. I forgave him a long time ago. No matter how awful the person is no one deserves that."

"I don't forgive him. He took you away from me Keith. He took our life away." Karen said this while staring straight into his eyes.

"Look Karen." he put his hand to his forehead and let out a long sigh. "He paid for his mistake. I just wanted to tell you because Jimmy doesn't deserve to be remembered as a murderer."

Karen couldn't say anything all she could do was nod.

"Thank you Karen." He wanted to kiss her forehead, but he knew that he would go right through her.

Silence swept over the couple. Karen knew what was coming next. You could always tell what Keith was thinking by his brooding faces. Karen could have sworn on her life that Lucas had also inherited the "contemplation" expressions. It was now or never.

"It's not what you think -."

"Karen, it's fine. I understand that people have to move on. It's part of life. I haven't been here for ten years, feelings start to change."

This went one ear and through the other.

"Keith, I have never stopped loving you. You will always be mine and there is nothing or anyone who can change that. It's just Lucas went to college and I became alone. I was left with no one. I had this pain and empty space in my heart. Andy appeared because he heard that you left the world. He was my shoulder to cry on and he started to slowly cure the loneliness. He is not or ever will be you. No one can replace you. I thought if you could tell me what I should do move on or keep being alone and being unhappy. I figured you would tell me to move on." she paused for one second.

"T-that d-doesn't m-mean I don't l-love you." she couldn't stop stuttering. She didn't know how he would react and that scared her.

"I would tell you to move on because you deserve to be happy. When I was with you, you made me the happiest guy in the world and Andy or any other guy should be able to have that emotion too."

Karen let out a long breath. She had gotten the blessing that she had always wanted again.

"So what's it like up in heaven?"

"Well, these pearly white gates greet you and then God comes out and goes through this big filing cabinet of your sins and then you sit there for what seems to be excruciating hours or days. After that experience the 'judging' he tells you whether you go to heaven or not. If you go to heaven you basically get to do whatever you want. I personally like to sit around the plasma big screen and open a few beers." Keith couldn't help to pull Karen's leg a little.

"Really?" Karen said in a sarcastic tone.

"No. Heaven exists of you and me in lying bed with peace and quiet all around us. Once in awhile we will smile at each other and say "I love you," but we like the silence too much because we now know that no one will hurt us anymore. It's you and me and silence. There are sometimes when you are not there anymore. When I look over to the other side of the bed and your gone. The bed gets unbelievably cold and I start to miss you. Before I even get the chance I start to watch the memories of you and me all over again. Heaven is you."

"Flight 216 to New Zealand now boarding."

They both stood up. Tears were already forming in Karen's eyes.

"Let me come with you Keith. I don't want to be without you anymore. Don't you think I have suffered without you long enough."

The only thing Keith could do was let out a painful sigh.

"As much as I want you to-."

"No, no." tears were coming hard down her face and her voice was cracking. Her throat was becoming tight. "I will not leave you. I am not losing you again."

"You have to." Keith said while trying to keep his composure.  
"Stay with me on the plane Keith. Please don't go. Just a few more minutes."

"It's time Karen. I'll meet you again someday."

All Karen could do was cry. There was still so much emotion in her.

"Hey don't cry. Remember that day you left for Italy. We had our first kiss just right down those stairs." Keith let a smile tug at the sides of his lips.

"How could I forget?" Karen replied,

_"Don't forget to call when you land, okay?" _

"Alright." Karen paused for a second taking in everything that she was going to miss for the next few months, including Keith. "You remember when you said the other night that I had good instincts and that I should trust them?"

"Yeah"

Karen leaned into him and crashed her lips into his. She almost scared the hell out of him, but he finally started to relax. Karen had to force herself to pull herself away.

"You were right." Karen said slyly

She started to turn around, but Keith grabbed her arm.

"I'll be here when you get back."

"And I'll be waiting."

She made it up to the stairs and turned to wave.

They both knew they had to go, but neither wanted to leave.

Keith started to have a sensation in his body where every part of his body was becoming full. He could touch it and he has feelings in his bones. Once he realized this, he took Karen into his arms and grazed his soft lips against hers. Neither wanted the feeling or the moment to end, but it had to. Keith had to use all of his emotional strength to part from her. "That was to make up for ten years. Now go." Karen did as she was told. She turned around and slowly started walking to her gate. She wanted one more glance at her love.

"I'll be here when you get back."

"And I'll be waiting."


End file.
